Kamen Rider Kabuto- Accelerated World
by Exiakaiser
Summary: AU Story- When Hiram is given the Program 'Brain Burst', by Kuroyukihime, the princess of Umesato Junior High, he was not expecting to fight people. He just wanted to become stronger and faster to protect his friends. However, with his new 'Rider Type Duel Avatar', he must learn to fight in order to protect his Guardian. Old cast members, new Heroes, and a new war. Hiram
1. Acceleration

Exiakaiser: Welcome, one and all to _Kamen Rider Kabuto- Acceleration_ , the first Kamen Rider Crossover I have done in a long time. In this world, based off of the first season of _Accel World_ , will only have cosmetic changes, a new hero in the place of Silver Crow, a larger scope, and several new forms. And maybe, if I decide to, things may get a little steamy…

…Just kidding. This story is more or less a Rider story, so no ecchi possibilities are allowed. Also, this was an intriguing project, seeing as the process, from idea to conception to chapter work, took me less than a week to come up with. _Metal Hero GX_ , was in the works for several years before I adapted it to digital paper. _Yu-gi-oh Musou_ , my second decent series, took a few months. _Wild Star Knight Etherias_ , my original Metal Hero design series, took about a month or less.

The story of _Accel World_ is kept almost completely intact, with a few changes. First off, there are Burst Avatars with Kamen Rider Type in the game. Kamen Rider Type Avatars are more powerful than your usual Avatar, but don't start off that way. They have two forms- Masked Form (Defense-heavy) and Rider Form (Agility-Heavy). Masked Form is able to defend against blunt attacks and can deal slash damage with their Kunai guns. Rider Forms can perform the speed boosting 'Clock Up' skill, greatly increasing their speed and attack effectiveness. In addition, Rider Forms gain a finisher skill, which is a) unique to each of them, and b) so powerful it requires your Skill Gauge to be full.

Second off, the main character of the original series, Haruyuki Arata, is no longer the main, although Silver Crow still exists. Haru moved to avoid getting bullied and got the app from a different Guardian. At this point, I now introduce you to his successor, of a sort. Meet the new Kabuto- Hiram Hayabusa.

Name: Hiram Hayabusa

Burst Avatar: Red Kabuto (Kamen Rider Kabuto)

Age: 16 years

Gender: Male

School: Umesato Junior High School

Physical appearance-

Height: 4'11"

Weight: Average for his height.

Hair color: Blonde

Hair length: Short and neat.

Eye color: Green

Glasses: yes (Sleek and chic)

Scars: Under each arm where he was pinned down.

Personality: Seeks to become faster and stronger than he is, and works hard at studies and gaming. Will sometimes quote his Dad's advice. Otherwise, never speaks out of line, and is, for the most part silent, unless taking part in a conversation, in which case, his comments are short and to the point. While most see this as rude, he and Kuroyuki see this as his way of handling with the fear of isolation. At first, is afraid that Takumu and Chiyuri are taking pity on him, being his friend only because they really didn't want him to feel obligated to be isolated, and only wanted to use him, but later realizes they are truly his friends.

Personal History: Hiram was the kind of guy who you never knew about. He was invisible, working hard to do well in school. He was silent, taking the bullying like a man, and not saying anything that would cause trouble. Then, one day, he meets Kuroyukihime, a girl a year older than him who invites him to meet her in the real world. She then gives him a strange app called 'Brain Burst', which changes his life forever.

However, the whole story is more tragic. Hiram was the only child of a hard-working detective, and a mother who worked for the government. However, on his 8th birthday, Hiram lost his father to a yakuza, and his mother moved to the city of Tokyo after getting elected to the Parliament. But, before that happened, he was forced to watch his friends get beaten up by a group of bullies, pinned down by twin blades. These left two scars under his arms, which would haunt him for the rest of his life. However, as he lay there, a Kabuto beetle passed by, and he watched it push a rock out of its path with its horn. After his mom and him moved, she set him up with an apartment after he reached 15 years of age. Since then, he has worked hard to make it on his own, joining several clubs to stay in shape. He even made 2 friends in his new elementary school, Chiyuri and Takumu. However, the bullies still hounded him, forcing him to do their bidding. However, even though he could take them out easily, he continued to do their leader's bidding, out of fear that his friends would get attacked. When Chiyuri asked why he didn't just beat them up, he told her that it was not time. He was, in fact, as he put it, not strong or fast enough. He then met Kuroyuki Hime after she had beaten his score on a net game, and asked if he wanted to accelerate beyond the confines of his normal world. When he said yes, she asked him to meet her at the lunchroom the next day…

Hobbies: Kenpo and Kendo Club, video games, his pet cat- Hiryu.

Likes: Good foods, becoming stronger, his pet cat Hiryu.

Dislikes: Bullies, people who flaunt strength, arrogant jerks.

Favorite Song: 'Gotta Fly Now' as was in the movie 'Rocky'.

I know, this seems so cliché, but this guy is a tad different than Haru. For one, he is well trained in Martial and Sword Arts. His rank in Kenpo is red belt, and at such a young age. However, he is never willing to use his skills out in the physical world, out of fear of retaliation. However, after he gets Brain Burst, he becomes braver, more willing to push the limits of his strength, and this gives him a means to become even stronger than before, something he has been wanting ever since the incident.

Now, other than that, there are three more cosmetic additions. However, they will be introduced as they happen, because the additions are future parts. So, let's get this party started. Disclaimer: I only own the characters created for this series. Kamen Rider Kabuto and other Riders are owned by TOEI Co, LTd., and Accel World is owned by VIZ Media in the US, and Accel World Partners and Sunrise, among other things. So, now that that's out of the way, LET'S BRAIN BURST!

The Year is 2147 AD. Mankind has developed new technologies that allow humanity to access the internet at will. The device called the Neural Link allows people to access the Global Net using nearby servers to socialize with people in a new, more personal way. This is called 'Synchronizing', and has been the rage for decades.

However, rumours exist of a shadow app, or application, that allows a person to slow time around them using security cameras. In this app, opponents fight it out for their Burst points, the cost of this power. If a person loses all their points, the app automatically uninstalls itself, and that person cannot reinstall it at all, or even remembers being a participant. In addition, you can only get it by getting it from another player. It's this system that has made the game a well-kept secret with 'Burst Linkers', people who play the game.

But now, a new group of Burst Linkers have suddenly appeared. The Linkers have Burst Avatars that can accelerate in the game, as well as killer special attacks. These warriors, who have the capacity to 'Cast off' their shells in the game, will forever be known by the nickname they were given in the game. This nickname was decided because they reminded a Burst Linker of a group of heroes his grandfather talked of a lot.

The Alias for these warriors was…

Kamen Rider Kabuto

Accelerated World

Episode 1

Acceleration!

Umesato Junior High

Class 1-F

"And," said the teacher, as he drew in thin air, "Lastly, the printing press." However, Hiram could see the teacher's handwriting. The Neural Linkers students used allowed the teacher to write digitally, making the writing visible only to students linked to the school's network. "Alright. If you add this to the list of inventions such as… gunpowder, you have what is known as the three great inventions of the Renaissance Era. Now, how historically significant were these inventions? Well, if you were to compare them to an invention from the 21st century, then they would be like the Quantum Mobile Computer Terminal, what we now call the Neural Linker"

However, Hiram could not hear the name of the second invention because he had just gotten an alert. He had just received a mail from someone. However, Hiram was cautious when opening it as he was also using the notes he was seeing to write his essay for his exam later that week. He pressed the air in front of him, which was read as "OK' by his Neural Linker, and opened his mail Inbox. Recently he had to set all noise filters to level B, something he had to do in order to keep his ears from being unable to work. However, for some reason, as usual, he knew Araya was gonna install a message with a noise factor of Level A, and somehow make it so that he had no means to protect against it. He opened the File. All of a sudden, a loud CLANG resounded from the inbox. Tons of confetti and streamers filled his visual range. " _Shoulda known,_ " thought Hiram, almost bored.

" _Hey, Beansprout,_ " said the effigy of Araya, " _I want 3 Ramen Bread, 2 Melon Bread, and a Strawberry Yogurt brought to the roof this afternoon. Fail to do so, And you get the snot kicked out of ya again._ "

Hiram clenched his first for a second, and then thought to himself, " _Annoying jerk. I was in the middle of note taking. It's a good thing I brought extra saving I keep in my shoe. However, where I keep it is my secret._ " He had to be careful when thinking something. He didn't know if one of Araya's Goons was a hacker. He actually kept his spare lunch money in his left sock, right under the sole of his foot.

-Lunch Time-

"Good," said Araya, "You followed my orders exactly as I asked you to. Do you know why that is?"

"Because you are bigger than I am," commented Hiram.

"Wow," said Araya, sarcastically, "You are smart. At least you know the pecking order around here."

" _Yeah, right, you prick,_ " thought Hiram to himself, " _If only I were stronger, I could easily kick your ass right here and now. However, till that day comes, I'll just keep going like this, till I show you my real strength._ " With that, he left.

"WHOA," said Araya, standing up, "Did I say you could leave?" With that, he rushed at Hiram, and was about to deliver a punch to the back of his head…

Hiram caught the arm in mid-air, and threw Araya onto the ground. "You forgot Newton's First Law of Motion," said Hiram, standing over Araya, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. I only threw you to avoid the punch. I will keep giving you food every day, but beating me up is not part of the deal. And remember this. Next time you attack me from behind, I will not only use the shoulder throw, but I will increase the distance." With that, he walked away.

"That little," said one of Araya's goons, who was about to chase after him.

"Let him go," said Araya, "The Bean Sprout's right. Me beating him up after he delivers was not part of the deal. That doesn't mean that we cannot alter the deal."

Hiram went into the library. Here he had found a secluded section where he could sit in peace without anyone finding him. He went to his usual spot, sat down and said, "Open Link". This opened a link to the Global Net server in the school. This link looked like a series of 5 rings. As he 'descended', his body was changed. By the time he arrived on the server, he looked like a masked man called a Zectrooper with Alt Eisen Arms and legs.

Hirma looked pretty cool…or he would have if he wasn't 2 FEET TALL!. This was Araya's doing. He changed the settings Hiram made as he was getting ready to save it to file. " _This thing should look more your size, Bean Sprout,_ " said Araya, laughing as he did that.

" _Damn that arrogant punk,_ " thought Hiram, " _I'll get stronger. And when I do, we'll have a discussion as to the natural order of things._ " He then started walking.

As he walked past a certain area, he heard happy sounds. He walked up the large flight of stairs and witnessed a group of cute girls hovering over another girl, wearing all black with some white accents, and black and violet butterfly wings. "Kuroyukihime," said one of the girls hovering over her, "Did you design that all by yourself?" As the groupies hovered over her, Kuroyukihime noticed someone looking at her, and turned her head. However, before she could get a good look at him, Hiram was already on his way down and heading to a certain mini game house.

He brought up a game of 'Squash', a game a former friend got him into. " _Must get faster,_ " thought Hiram as the Racket materialized in his hand, and the ball appeared on the field. " _Faster means more impact effectiveness, and to get that, I need to accelerate my body and mind to their limit._ " He then tossed the ball in the air and struck it. He was the only person to come here ever, and held the top spot with over 1.5 million points. Today was going for double, at least. His movements seemed to accelerate with each hit, the ball bouncing off more of the targets as he did so. After 30 minutes, he had reached level 168 and over 3 million points. His training was starting to show progress…

"How long are you gonna just stay here," asked Chiyuri, a friend of his since he first moved to Tokyo during Elementary school. Hiram originally lived in Kyoto, but was forced to move when his mother, a prominent government official, got elected to the country's parliament. He moved with her, and had no friends when he came here. Chiyu and her friends at that time, Takumu and Haruyki, quickly became friends. However, after Elementary School, Haru had to move because his mother's job demanded it. Since then, Hiram had retracted, becoming a recluse for the most part, shelled up, except in his clubs. Since he joined the Kenpo and Kendo Clubs, he had gotten stronger, faster and more disciplined. He still believed, however, that he was just being shown pity upon. However, her words caught him off guard, causing him to clip the ball, causing it to spiral the wrong way, missing a target and ending the game.

"Rats," said Hiram, tossing the racket into the air. "I missed."

"Still," She said, coming down to the arena and checking the scoreboard, "For a guy who looks like he was built to move like a tank, you are pretty good."

"Just relieving some stress," said Hiram, rubbing he back of his helmet, "No need to worry. Stupid Bullies. One of these days, Araya is gonna go too far."

"Saw that today," said Chiyu, patting Hiram on the head. "That was amazing. With that kind of strength, you could easily beat him up. And yet you let him use you when he wants something. Why is that? You have a secret fetish on being ordered around?"

"Not strong enough yet," said Hiram, shrugging "Besides," he then said, pointing his right index finger in the air, "Dad always said, and I quote, 'Never let them see you bleed.'"

"Your dad was weird," said Chiyu, logging out. Hiram shrugged and logged out too.

He looked up to see Chiyu standing right behind him. "I brought you lunch," she then said, revealing a picnic basket. "It full of your favorites," she said, smiling, "So eat it all."

"Does Taku know you are being kind to me," said Hiram, crying, "I told you both I don't need pity. I may have come here right before your friend Haru left town, but I have no intention of replacing him in your lives. I just wanted true friends, but as long as I have bullies hounding me, I need to stay away." And with that, he ran off, leaving Chiyu's basket there unopened.

"Hiram," said Chiyu, looking at Hiram with a sad look on her face, "I am not pitying you. Taku and I really want to be your friends. Sure, you came into our lives right as Haru was about to leave, and sure, you are always being bullied. But if you would just let us in, you would understand."

-That evening-

Hiram sat in his apartment, calmed down, having eaten something, and was sitting on his couch. "Open Link," he then said, returning to his little place under the virtual sun.

What he found scared him. Someone, whoever it was, had beaten his high score. "Who could've done this," he asked, now on his knees. "This was my thing. Here I was the fastest."

"And yet, you seek to become both faster and stronger," said a voice. Hiram turned to see Kuroyukihime walking down the stairs to the court. "Why is that, Hiram Hayabusa?"

"Senpai," said Hiram, looking upset seeing her here, of all places, "Was this your doing?"

"You haven't given me your answer," She then said, "Why do you seek to grow stronger and faster?"

"So that I can protect my friends in the real world," said Hiram, angered. "My last group of friends suffered greatly at the hands of a group of ruffians while I was pinned down and twin blades were stuck in my sides. Because they damaged a set of nerve clusters and veins, as well as a few inches of skin, I can no longer grow vertically. But, because of my being a government official's son, most of my friends were forced to wait. One of them died while on the operating table, all because I was more of a priority. I no longer want anyone to suffer because I was weak. That is why I seek to become stronger and faster. The faster I am, the quicker I can respond to those in need."

"If that is the reason you seek strength," commented Kuroyukihime, smiling in interest, "Then I now ask you this. Do you wish to accelerate beyond the limits of reality? If so, meet me at the Courtyard tomorrow around lunch."

Hiram then logged out, and meditated on her words. "What would dad say at a time like this?"

-Next Day-

Lunchtime usually meant getting food for Araya, but today was different. This time, Hiram decided to meet the legendary princess of the school. He went to the food court and started walking to the courtyard, as the area where the third years sat. As he entered, everyone saw him walking with resolve. Many knew him for his several wins in the Kenpo Tournaments. Others knew him for his swift wins in the Kendo Club. However, bullies called him 'Bean Sprout'. However, today he would get a new name and a new life.

"Hiram," said Kuroyukihime, offering him a seat at her table. She had a pot of tea set up. Hiram had himself a grapefruit juice cup. "Good of you to accept my invitation."

"Just letting you know," said Hiram, "That if this is a very elaborate prank, I will walk away from the table."

Kuroyukihime giggled, and then said, "My apologies. I asked you here in earnest." She then pulled out a cable. Each end had a single coupling unit. This was a direct link cable, allowing two people to share information privately.

"But the only people who direct cable link are family members or couples," said Hiram, grabbing a side. "However, I have not been known for not accepting a gift when given." With that, he plugged the cable into his Neural Linker. "Give me a few seconds. I have a few special programs running right now, updating my playlist for training."

After he was done, the two sat in what looked like silence. " _How's you Link Speaking Ability,_ " asked Kuroyukihime all of a sudden via the direct cable.

" _Not the best at it,_ " said Hiram, " _But I can manage it for a while. Sorry if my words come with a bit of static. Got a lot on my mind in recent days._ "

" _I am sending you an app,_ " said Kuroyukihime, touching her neural linker and then swiping her hand towards Hiram. " _If you choose to accept it, you current reality will be changed forever. Your World will change to a totally different perspective._ " All of a sudden, Hiram saw a strange emblem on his screen with a single button on it labeled 'INSTALL'.

" _I choose to change the world as I see it,_ " said Hiram, pulling his hand back, " _At the speed of Light!_ " He then pressed the install button. All of a sudden, an installation progress bar appeared on his HUD. It went up almost too quickly. Then, after it installed itself fully, a wall of flame surrounded Hiram, and the words 'Brain Burst' appeared in front of him on his neural HUD. Then a new message appeared on his screen, which Hiram read aloud:

" **WELCOME TO THE ACCELERATED WORLD"**

" _What is this 'Brain Burst' Program,_ " asked Hiram, intrigued.

" _It would seem the program has been successfully installed,_ " commented Kuroyukihime, " _Although, I knew for sure you were already qualified_."

" _Qualified_ ," asked Hiram.

" _For the program to be installed,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _You have to have a high level of nerve control. An example is someone who has an unbelievably high score in the Squash game."_

Hiram then realized he was a lucky one. "A normal person wouldn't even be able to see the file, so the fact that you saw it means you qualified. But, your decision sure did surprised me." She smiled as she said this, "It took me at least 2 minutes before I was able to decide. I even prepared a speech, but it seems to have been unwarranted."

Her smile caused Hiram to blush. "I don't things have changed yet. What does the program actually…"

"HEY, BEAN SPROUT," called out Araya, "FOUND YA! Don't screw with me, Hayabusa. You told someone, you little rat. Do you think you will get away with this?"

"Not really," said Hiram, almost in a hurry, trying to save himself.

"You must be Araya-kun," said Kuroyukihime, "Hayabusa-kun told me all about you. It was definitely the Zoo's mistake. They should not have let you come to this school."

Hiram then went into a battle stance. All Kuroyukihime had done is enrage a mad dog, but he knew he would receive it with a beat down. This has happened to him before, years ago. Araya wanted some of Hiram's earnings, but when Hiram refused because he needed it to get through the week, he nearly left Hiram for dead. If it hadn't been for a nearby cop, he wouldn't have made it to the hospital.

Araya grabbed Hiram by the collar and said, "This time, I will kill you, Bean Sprout!" As he did this, he started a punch attack.

"Now," exclaimed Kuroyukihime, "Quickly! BURST LINK!"

"B-BURST LINK," Hiram yelled out at the top of his lungs. Hiram had his arms in a blocking stance, but he risked looking up, to see Araya standing above him with his fist just inches away from a devastating blow to Hiram's jaw. However, the world had changed, looking almost blue. Then, as if pulled by a string, His Net Avatar was ripped from his body. "What the hell is this place? Complete Synchronization or am I actually dead?" 

"Neither," said Kuroyukihime, appearing in her net avatar, "We have executed one of the main functions of the 'Brain Burst' Program. We are, in other words, in an accelerated state."

"So," said Hiram, "We have just shifted our time to a faster frequency than the rest of the world. Which means that time here has slowed to a crawl. Or so it would seem, because the program doesn't really do that, does it?"

"You are pretty quick to see what's happening," said the girl in front of him. "But you are correct. Even though it looks like it, time hasn't really stopped. Our consciousnesses are moving so fast, that it creates an illusion of the world slowed to a crawl." She then walked over to Araya and pointed to his fist. "Currently, this fist is still inching closer to your face," she said, explaining, "Kind of like the hands of a clock. If we just waited here, you would probably still get hit. Although the damage done would probably be sent instead to your arms, given the stance you are in."

"He was gonna attack me," said Hiram, "Self-defense is a good response in this situation. Had the strike come in range, I would have thrown him against a wall, and pinned him down till the cops get here."

"Actually," said Kuroyukihime, "I have a better idea. Let the punch go through."

"What," said Hiram, confused all of a sudden. "If I were to do that, the force behind the fist would probably cripple me."

"Still," said Kuroyukihime, "You mustn't dodge. Which hurts more, your heart or your body? And its not the first time you have been beaten up, have you?"

"It's been that way all my life," said Hiram, "My dad was an honest detective. One day, we were walking home from going out to eat, when a yakuza stabbed him in the chest, just below the heart. The blade, as it turned out was poisoned, and dad died before he could get to a hospital. Since then mom, a government official, has had to look out for me. Then, there was the Kyoto Trio Incident."

"You witnessed it," asked Kuroyukihime.

"I was one of the trio," said Hiram. "Back then, I was a smart-mouthed brat, trying to protect my friends. However, a group of older kids threatened me, but my friends stood up to protect me, only to get beaten up and brutalized. However, because I was the son of a politician, I received worse treatment. My enemies stabbed me with two blades, below the arms in such a way they damaged several vital parts, including growth hormone glands. I was delivered with a warning, 'Nobody messes with the Kaen-Ryu Gang. Next time you try to bust us, your son gets worse.' However, even though I was successfully saved, the damage was already done. I will probably never be able to grow higher than this the rest of my life, unless there was a large amount of research done in genetic reconstruction. However, because of certain politicians, that kind of research will never see the light of day, because they believe it, and I quote, "Tampers with God's will.""

Kuroyukihime looked at Hiram with sorrow. "However, unlike your earlier oppressors, who were caught and sentenced to prison for the rest of their lives, Araya has never been punished. There are two reasons for this. The first is that you have been suffering in silence, never letting anyone close out of fear that they will get hurt as well, or hurt you unknowingly. And the second reason is that Araya knows how to do damage without anyone seeing it. He's exploiting the security cameras for violence and intimidation. He is not stupid, though. He proceeds with a sense of caution. But now, it appears he is still an idiot."

Hiram then realized her point and looked around. There were several security cameras in the lunch room. He knew that much. But as he looked behind him, he saw one with a clear line of sight that would allow Araya to be seen striking him down. "This is a great opportunity for you, Hiram," she continued while Hiram was looking around, "Dodging his fist is easy. But then, Araya would recover himself and walk away well behaved. The opportunity to punish him will not come again. Of that I'm certain."

"Then," said Hiram, remembering what happened last time, "As long as I use this new power wisely…Forget it. It's best to just allow the strike. Your idea is sound. Very well. I shall place my life in your hands."

"A wise decision," said Kuroyukihime, smiling, "Alright, since you have to get hit anyways, let's decide on how to minimize the damage…"

"And create maximum results in the process at the same time," asked Hiram, knowing what was needed. "Well, let's look around." And with that, his brain went to work. With lightning-fast efficiency, he laid out his suggestion to Kuroyukihime, who was amazed at the idea.

"The idea's a little crude," said Hiram, "But, after we Cancel Acceleration, I will use the momentum, in addition to a little jumping power and hit you with the force of his own punch. That way, even though I will still move my face so he only hits the strongest part of the skull, it will look like he hit me so hard he hit you at the same time. Too much?"

"A tad crude," said Kuroyukihime, at first, but smiled as she understood it, "But efficient enough to accomplish our goals. You ready?"

"As ready as a man will ever be to take a punch," said Hiram, with a shred of worry. "Just make sure you jump out of the way as I fly towards you."

"You'll be fine," said Kuroyukihime, "All you need to do is say the command to cancel acceleration. Be sure to put on a good show. BURST OUT!"

After Kuroyukihime burst out, Hiram stood there for a few seconds and then said to himself, "Well, Hiram, you always wanted to act. Too bad you will be doing the school version of 'Hamlet' instead. Oh well. Let's do this. BURST OUT!"

The world resumed in front of him. Araya's punch his Hiram in the cheek, not breaking any bones, but with enough force applied that Hiram was able to jump back and right towards Kuroyukihime. However, he was also sent spinning by the blow, so he had to recalculate the force of impact. " _Senpai,_ " he thought, " _Please get out of the way in time._ "

Everything blacked out after that for about a second. When Hiram came to, he looked around for a second. Kuroyukihime lay in front of him almost unconscious, with a small trickle of blood going down her head. " _Senpai,_ " thought Hiram, upset.

" _Don't move,_ " Kuroyukihime said.

" _But you're bleeding,_ " said Hiram over their channel.

" _It's nothing to worry about,_ " she told him, " _Just a small cut. Like I said before, this is required to achieve maximum results. Now, Araya will never show his face again._ "

Later, Araya was arrested for assault, and carted to jail. Hiram and Kuroyukihime were both sent to the infirmary, where Kuroyukihime had her wound checked. Hiram had received a shiner and had to get it bandaged. He then thought back to what she had told him. " _I almost forgot, until you get to school, don't log into the global net. Do you understand that?_ "

" _I understand_ ," said Hiram, and for the rest of the day, he was logged off the Global net.

"Hiram," yelled out Chiyu, who was waiting for him outside of the gate. "I heard about what happened today. Are you alright?"

Hiram almost told her to leave him alone and then run away from her, but for once, he decided to say, "Yeah. I feel a little better. It would seem that opening up to someone did help me out a bit."

"What do you mean," asked Chiyu, confused.

"I guess it's time I tell you and Takumu my whole reason I closed myself off to both of you," said Hiram, "Tell Takumu to meet us at the nice restaurant near our homes. My treat today, seeing as this is gonna be me trying to open up again."

That evening, Hiram, Chiyu and Takumu sat at the fancy restaurant Bistro La Salle. Hiram allowed them to order whatever they chose, as long as it didn't cost all that much. After they had ordered, he explained everything, from the death of his father, to the Kyoto Incident, to even his moving. After he told them everything, except about Brain Burst, he took a long swill of his barley tea.

"I," said Chiyu, bursting into tears, "I didn't know. I'm so sorry, Hiram."

"But why didn't you tell us earlier, Hiram," asked Takumu.

"I was afraid," Hiram explained, almost bursting into tears himself, "Afraid you would hate me for trying to become a part of your life. I am not trying to take your friendship with Haru and replace it. I just wanted someone to be a true friend with."

The two sitting opposite walked over and hugged him. "Now you do," said Chiyu, "Now, you never have to feel alone ever again."

Then their food came and the three ate. Hiram had the Mackerel Miso, as did the other two. After they got to the apartment building, Hiram went up to his apartment. "Access private server," Hiram then said, logging into a cloaked server. He had this set up only to chat with friends and family, and he had given Takumu and Chiyuri both the access key today. "Call mom," he then said. However, all he got was a voice message, meaning she was either busy, or with her new boyfriend. Hiram had met his mother's new boyfriend. He was a drunken jerk, and hated Hiram just because he was short. Hiram had told mom that she should have gotten rid of him, but no longer cared. "Just checking to make sure everything is okay on your end. I hope you realized your boyfriend is bad for you, and found a better one, but I no longer care. I made two new friends today, and you are not gonna believe this. They are the kids I met years ago. I finally opened up to them and explained everything. Well, hope to speak to you soon."

-Next Day-

Hiram had a strange nightmare. One he had not had for years. In it, he was pinned down with the blades stuck in his sides. In front of him, several faces appeared and said, " _I'll kill you, Bean Sprout!_ "

"Get away," said Hiram. Then he saw the _Kabutomushi_ (1) again beating up the bullies. However, it made no move to pull the blades out. "Help me," he said, "Help me be as strong as you!"

" _IS THAT WHAT YOU DESIRE?_ "

That is when Hiram woke up. It was early morning, and the sun was overhead. Hiram rubbed the back of his head and then realized what time it was. He then activated the Neural Linker, and accessed the Global Net. He had just been notified that he had gotten a new message. " _Hey, Hiram,_ " said his mother, " _I got your message. You were right about him. He was a disrespectful pig. He and I are done. Good to see you finally opened up to someone. Oh and here is your lunch money for today. Hope to hear from you later._ " She had wired some funds to him late that night.

After he had gotten that, he set about getting breakfast made, and set the cat some milk. He had found a kittena few years prior, and raised it as his own, and the landlord had given her blessing. After he left, and locked the door, he went into the elevator and went to the first floor. " _Finally,_ " said Hiram, " _Everything's finally looking up at last._ "

However, after he left the front gate and was down the road a bit, the world changed, looking blue-tinted as if seen through a blue tinted window. However, it then changed to a strange version of the world, as if a nuclear bomb had gone off. The area looked wrecked. "What the hell," Hiram asked. He then saw, much to his surprise, a strange counter in front of him. Next to it were two bars. Each was at full health. " _I remember that,_ " said Hiram, " _It's a fighting game Health Bar Gauge_." He then saw the names under each. " _Red Kabuto,_ " He thought to himself, instinctively reaching out. He saw, from his perspective, a metallic armored hand reaching out towards the health Gauge. " _I-is that me arm?_ " He then looked down. In front of him, there was a puddle. "What the hell is this," he suddenly said. In the puddle's reflection, stood a figure, clad in armor, silver and red in color, with a blue visor. "Is that me?"

However, he had little time to react as he was alerted to a message.

 **HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!**

"Haven't been back to the 'World's End Stage' in a while," said the figure opposite him, revving his bike. "Lucky me. And I am facing a newbie. SUPER-LUCKY ME! However, for you, it's mega unlucky you ran into me, ASH ROADER!" He then revved his motorbike again, this time louder. "LET'S PARTY!"

"Wha the hell," though Hiram, taking a fighting stance, "Let's see what happens?"

Elsewhere, a few people were watching. "The newbie looks like he has been trained for this," one of them said. "Too bad he is up against Ash Roader. He may not win this one."

 **FIGHT!**

-To Be Continued-

Next Time

Hiram loses his first battle, but another Burst Linker, Violet Scorpion, takes him under his wing, alongside Kuroyukihime, and the pair teach him how to survive in 'Brain Burst'. Can Hiram successfully beat Ash Roader and his loud Motorcycle? Or will he just go up in smoke? Next Time:

Transformation

Unlock the secrets of your Accelerated World!

(1)= Another name for a species of Rhinoceros Beetle native to Japan. It's large horn is used to lift opponent's into the air and onto their backs during mating season.

Well, let's get this out of the way. I know, in the original version, Haru was paranoid, thinking that Chiyu and Takumu were only showing pity on him. Because of that, he remains shelled up for a few episodes till he beats Cyan Pile. However, Hiram is different, being more respectful. However, he still fears that he is being pitied at first. However, he does open up and explain his feelings to the two early on because he feels that, with what happened to him that day, it was time to open un and explain things. As he would say, "As dad would say, 'Sometimes, it's wiser to open up and talk about your problems. Leaving them caged up and unreleased will only hurt yourself and those around you.'"

Also, unlike Souji Tendou, who is, in my opinion, and arrogant Jerk, Hiram is only willing to prove his word. He believes that a person should put their words into action.

However, next chapter, we introduce the Rich Kid of the Riders. So, let me know your thought, comment, review etc. However, don't be too harsh. I am still working on the bugs for the Rider system.


	2. Transformation

Exiakaiser: Welcome back. In this chapter, we meet the second Rider, Sasword. I know what you are thinking- he was only seen later in the original Rider series the characters I created are based off of. However, also remember that this series is based in the _Accel World_ universe, so the Riders are not gonna appear in order. In fact, just for a kick in the teeth, I might as well mention this- Drake, TheBee, and Sasword were both Burst Linkers long before Hiram started playing. It is this fact that allows Sasword to act as both Hiram's teacher, and his ally after the Nega Nebulus Legion is revealed. We'll get to that later. But for now, here is the OC Bio for Sasword.

Name: Hiroyama Descartes (Prefers 'Hiro')

Burst Avatar: Violet Scorpion

Age: 17 years

Gender: Male

Origin: Umesato Junior High School

Physical appearance-

Height: 5'11"

Weight: Average for his height.

Hair color: Brown

Hair length: Short and neat.

Eye color: Blue-grey

Glasses: no

Scars: None.

Personality: Seeks to be free from his destiny as the son of the rich Descartes family. Also, hates people who try to steal other people's freedom, and will personally defeat any Burst Linkers or bullies who try to do so.

Personal History: Hiro is the oldest son of the rich Descartes Family, and yet, he openly defied his father, who wanted Hiro to become his heir and rule over the family business. However, Hiro wanted to 'cut' his own path through the battlefield of life, and left the house. He goes to Umesato Junior High and nobody knows he is the son of the Descartes family. However, he received 'Brain Burst' from his girlfriend (Who will be referenced and introduced later in the series), and he became called the 'Violet Scorpion, artistic cutter of the Burst Linkers.

Hobbies: Kendo (Has come to blows with Takumu from time to time each battle ending in a tie), Brain Burst, flower arrangement, pruning and sculptures.

Likes: Swords and fast foods.

Dislikes: Silver Dragonfly (A Burst Linker also called Kamen Rider Drake- has been known as a troublemaker in the BB World), freedom taken away.

Favorite Song: Freebird by Lynard Skynard

You are probably wondering 'Why the 'Favorite Song' bit? Is it a gag and not really part of the series?' Well, it's actually both. But the reason for that will be addressed later in the series, after the group is fully introduced.

But for now, let me explain Sasword. He is a rich kid with a dream to be his own man. However, fate seldom works in our favor, and can be a bane half of the time. Hiro seeks to prove to his dad he can be his own person, and has a lot of development as the series develops and continuously pits him against the oppressive characters.

Also, the series continues along the same timeline, with Hiram finally learning how to fight in the Brain Burst Game. However, unlike last tiem, Hiram will have 2 teachers right off the bat, with Hiro being the second teacher.

So, without any more hesitation, in the words of Kamen Rider Mach, "Let's HENSHIN!"

Disclaimer is the same as usual.

 **HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!**

"Haven't been back to the 'World's End Stage' in a while," said the figure opposite him, revving his bike. "Lucky me. And I am facing a newbie. SUPER-LUCKY ME! However, for you, it's mega unlucky you ran into me, ASH ROADER!" He then revved his motorbike again, this time louder. "LET'S PARTY!"

"Wha the hell," though Hiram, taking a fighting stance, "Let's see what happens?"

Elsewhere, a few people were watching. "The newbie looks like he has been trained for this," one of them said. "Too bad he is up against Ash Roller. He may not win this one."

 **FIGHT!**

The Year is 2147 AD. Mankind has developed new technologies that allow humanity to access the internet at will. The device called the Neural Link allows people to access the Global Net using nearby servers to socialize with people in a new, more personal way. This is called 'Synchronizing', and has been the rage for decades.

However, rumours exist of a shadow app, or application, that allows a person to slow time around them using security cameras. In this app, opponents fight it out for their Burst points, the cost of this power. If a person loses all their points, the app automatically uninstalls itself, and that person cannot reinstall it at all, or even remembers being a participant. In addition, you can only get it by getting it from another player. It's this system that has made the game a well-kept secret with 'Burst Linkers', people who play the game.

But now, a new group of Burst Linkers have suddenly appeared. The Linkers have Burst Avatars that can accelerate in the game, as well as killer special attacks. These warriors, who have the capacity to 'Cast off' their shells in the game, will forever be known by the nickname they were given in the game. This nickname was decided because they reminded a Burst Linker of a group of heroes his grandfather talked of a lot.

The Alias for these warriors was…Kamen Rider.

Episode 2:

Transformation!

-Lunchtime-

" _You lost your first battle_ ," said Kuroyukihime, giggling as she said that. Hiram was beaten pretty quickly, run over by the motorbike a few times and knocked into a wall.

" _It's not that funny_ ," said Hiram. " _I thought I was actually gonna die._ "

" _That's what happens when you break your promise,_ " she said, getting snarky.

" _Won't happen again,_ " said Hiram, taking a drink of his milk.

" _By the way, Hiram,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _Have you ever thought about getting a nanomachine procedure to be able to become taller?_ "

" _Not really,_ " explained Hiram, " _Been a little busy with dealing with bullies. Plus, right now, I gotta keep my schoolwork down. Will have to take care of that after the next battle._ "

" _And I guess you by now have already guessed the true reality of what 'Brain Burst' is_ ," said Kuroyukihime.

" _From what I have seen,_ " surmised Hiram, " _It's a fighting game. But to play you need to accelerate, right?_ "

" _Not far from the truth,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _But there is one mistake in your deduction. We don't need to accelerate to fight. We fight to be able to accelerate._ "

" _I don't quite follow you_ ," said Hiram, confused.

" _It's probably gonna be easier to 'Accelerate' and fight than to explain it,_ " Kuroyukihime said.

" _Here,_ " asked Hiram, " _Now_ "

" _It's not like we're gonna fight,_ " she said, " _All we are gonna do it let the timer run down and call it a draw._ "

" _Well then,_ " said Hiram, " _Let's 'accelerate'. BURST LINK!_ "

All of a sudden, the world changed. Hiram then clicked on the 'Brain Burst' icon and pressed the 'Matchings' button. He pressed on the name 'Black Lotus', as Kuroyukihime told him, but not before he had noticed the name 'Violet Scorpion' on the rosters, then pressed the 'Duel' Button hanging in mid air. All of a sudden, a grassy knoll appeared where the two were standing. The sun was setting. "The 'Twilight' Field," commented Kuroyukihime, admiring it. She then turned to Hiram, "So this is your avatar, Red Kabuto. Why is there no red like the name?" She then looked up at the name. There, next to the name, in parentheses, was the letters 'MF'. "I see," she then said, understanding, "This is only the Masked Form, then. It would seem that, after this battle, you will need a teacher in the Rider Combat types." Shen then walked over and placed her hand on Hiram's face, "It's still a beautiful form. Its strong, without fear, and it suits you, Hiram."

"And yet," commented Hiram, "How did the program know to make this? That must be some series tech inside a single application."

"Actually," said Kuroyukihime, "The one who created the avatar was you, Hiram-kun."

"So," said Hiram, pondering on this for a bit, "The program must have scanned me while I slept, and designed this on my wanting to become stronger."

"Not really," said Kuroyukihime, "It probably based the design on your insecurities. At least it didn't keep your original design."

"God point," said Hiram, figuring that out, "But then, if you know about this game, where's your avatar? That one doesn't look like it was a part of the program, seeing as how most of the people I saw in the battle zone were without a human face's primary features."

"And you would be correct," she said, surprised he put that together, "I had to seal mine away. It was ugly. But that wasn't the reason I sealed it. I'll tell you about that another time. Anyway, do you remember anything on the results screen after the fight this morning?"

"Yeah, there was my name and the amount of 'Burst Points' I lost. My number went from 99 to 89. And guessing that the 'Burst Link' command drains a single point, that means my starting points were 100."

"That's it," she then commented, "That is what we fight for. Burst Points are vital to 'Accelerating'. In order to keep it up, we fight for Burst Points."

"However," Hiram asked, "What happens when we lose all our burst points?"

"When that happens," said Kuroyukihime, "The 'Brain Burst' Program will automatically uninstall itself, and the person can never reinstall it. Even changing Neural Linkers won't work, seeing as how it reads brainwaves."

"Then," said Hiram, forming a conjecture based on the given information, "The only way to gain 'Burst Points' is to win fights. And these points can allow people to gain newfound power in their own right. Some may choose to become star athletes, successful gamblers or the like."

"Exactly," Kuroyukihime said, who then commented, "You can uninstall the program now, if you wish to no longer continue. The bullies have been dealt with, and they will no longer bother you."

"Never say that," said Hiram, "I owe you for helping me. You gave me this power. In doing so, you saved me from a nightmarish existence. Normally, a coward like me should not be able to talk to a girl like you. I have been closed off from the rest of the world, afraid to talk about my problems. However, thanks to your mercy, I now have the courage and power I need to make things right again. I wish to repay you for the mercy that you showed me. And to do so, I will become a Burst Linker."

" _Dammit,_ " he thought to himself, " _I gotta learn to say only what is needed to say. The first party of that was stupid, unnecessary tripe._ "

"No," said Kuroyukihime, blushing all of a sudden, "Don't use words like 'Mercy'. The only one keeping this distance is you, Hiram. A mere 2 meters in this virtual world…Is that too far for you?" She extended her hand to Hiram.

"I'm sorry," said Hiram, "I can't take your hand yet."

"Why not," she asked.

"Because," said Hiram, looking towards the sunset, "I am not worthy of you. You seem to think I am, but if that is the case, I need to prove to myself I am worthy. To that end, I must face Ash Roller once again. And this time, I must win against him."

There was an awkward silence between them. However, before Kuroyukihime could make a point, Hiram then added, "But that doesn't mean I won't take your hand afterwards. Besides, thanks to you, I was able to finally open up about the tragedy I suffered. I have yet to thank you for that, so who knows? Besides, I also told you, yesterday, that I would place my life in your hands, did I not? At the same time, I will not say this- I will assist you in whatever you need me to do."

Kuroyukihime smiled, and said, "You're right. I do have a problem I need help with. And the last thing we need to do is teach you to fight. You could have won, if you knew how to battle in this world. However, since the Rider-type avatars are different than most, it would be best to talk to one like them. From what I see before me, though, you should be able to beat him pretty easily."

"Dad once said," said Hiram, raising his right pointer, "Sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, I got a good feeling about things."

After wards, the pair 'Burst Out', and ate their lunch. "Umm," said a third year girl, shyly walking up to their table, "It's about time you told us. We're all dying to know, what is your relationship with this student? Tell us in detail, please."

Kuroyukihime thought about what to tell them in full detail, and then said, after 2 minutes, "Frankly speaking, I confessed to him, but he told me, and I hope I am getting this right, 'Give me time. I wish to prove myself to you.'"

Hiram was amazed. He was also, confused, flabbergasted, freaked out, dumbfounded, and the like. This was one of those moments where he could just leave, but he then said, in a calm manner, "Dad once said, 'There is a time when it's best to just shut up and eat your food.'" He then walked away, with half the third years looking at him with amazement. He had just told Kuroyukihime, the princess of the school, that he wishes to prove himself. Or, at least, that is what she told them.

However, just as it was time for school to end, he got a message. It read, "Come to the roof in 5 minutes. There, your lesson begins."

-5 minutes later-

"I've been waiting for you," said the persoan as Hiram got to the roof. "Red Kabuto, I was asked by the school princess to teach you about your avatar's special traits before the battle today. You ready?"

"Before we begin," asked Hiram, "Is this gonna be a prank, and you are just gonna take some more of my points?"

"I don't do that," said the third year student, "Unlike some of the jerks in the game, I value a person's freedom. However, I now ask you," he asked this as he pointed at Hiram as if he had a sword in his hand, "Do you value freedom for all things?"

"I have a cat," said Hiram, "Who comes and goes as he pleases. I never ask where he went or restrict him of his right to movement."

"Good," said the Third year, putting his arm down. "Hiro," he said, extending his other hand, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Hiram Hayabusa," said Hiram, shaking his hand. "Shall we get this over with? I only have a small window of 10 minutes before Ash Roller arrives in this area again."

"I see," said Hiro, "Then we better get to it. BRAIN BURST!"

All of a sudden, the world turned blue as if shaded with a tinted lens. Then, the pair appeared in the 'Twilight' stage again. This time, there were two Rider Type Avatars on the field. "The first lesson," said Hiro, who looked like he was wearing a hazmat suit designed for protection against toxic environments, "Is the difference between Masked Form and Rider Form. Masked Form is defense specialty, meaning we take less damage over time. However, it's when we change to Rider Form that the real fight begins."

"And how do we do that," asked Hiram, raising his hand like he was in school.

"Getting there," explained Hiro, "Okay, your belt, or in my case, my sword has a strange creature on it called a Zector. These robotic lifeforms are from a future timeline, but that is not important. To activate form change, you move a certain part of the creature to one side. Go ahead and move the horn on your Kabuto Zector."

Hiram nudged the horn till it moved about an inch. All of a sudden, the armor parts of the Masked Form seemed to pop out a bit and discharge a sound, as if saying 'ready to fire at your command.' However, it didn't discharge like with the others. "Hmmm," said Hiro, "It looks like you have to gives yours a verbal command for it to complete. Say 'Cast Off', and then pull the rest of the way."

Hiram sighed, and then said, "Cast Off!" He then pulled the horn all the way to the right.

" **Cast Off,** " said the Kabuto Zector. All of a sudden, the armor bits flew like they were shot by cannons. The armor being 'Cast off' revealed a new form. This one looked like a red beetle. Then, a piece that was placed at the neck in Masked Form moved to the top of the head, completing the horn. The Zector then called out, " **Change Beetle!** "

"Nice," said Hiro, casting off as well. "Ready for the next lesson?"

The next few minutes were spent explaining combat skills and weapons training for both forms. Hiram learned how to use the Kunai Gun in both blade and gun forms, as well as the Clock Up Acceleration Skill, allowing Rider Types to increase their speed even further. He was now at final attacks. "Your Special gauge should now be full," said Hiro, "Let's look at your Finishing Attacks." He then had Hiram bring up his skills list. He looked and saw one called 'Rider Kick'.

Hiram then walked up to a boulder, and said, "Clock Up." He then slapped the left side button on his belt with his left hand.

" **Clock Up!** "

Hiram then hit the boulder several times and spun so that his back was facing the boulder, then pressed a trio of buttons on the Kabuto Zector's "legs". " **1,2,3** ," said the Zector as Hiram then moved the Horn to the left again.

He then said, "Rider Kick," and moved the horn back to the right.

" **Rider Kick,** " said the Zector. All of a sudden, a small sphere of tachyon energy left the Zector and rose up his body to the horn, and then back into his right leg. After it stopped on his foot, Hiram did a devastating roundhouse kick that destroyed the boulder. However, since he had run out of time on the clock up, the Zector then said, " **Clock Over**." However, Hiram now understood everything he needed to know.

"Amazing," said Hiro, impressed. "You have the first Counter Finishing attack. You are a very rare Burst Linker indeed. I see what the Princess would like in a guy like you. Treat her well, Hiram, and good luck in your next battle."

-2 minutes later-

"Senpai," asked Hiram, "Why did you tell them the truth like that? Just because I told you 'Give me a little time,' that doesn't mean you can just say that in front of everyone."

"But the look on everyone's face was worth it," Kuroyukihime commented, smiling. "Besides, you seemed to enjoy it as well." She sent him a violet butterfly via his Neural Linker. This butterfly changed into a photo of him flabbergasted.

"How did you take that photo," said Hiram, even more flabbergasted.

"Secret," Kuroyukihime said, "Just remember to keep your word."

"Dad once said," said Hiram, point his right index finger, "And I am quoting here, 'A man should only be as good as his word. If you make a promise, you better damn well keep it.' At least, that was his words."

As they talked, they reached the front gate. "Here we go," said Kuroyukihime, "As soon as you step through this gate, the battle begins. Remember everything you have learned today."

"Alright," said Hiram, smiling like a madman, "Let's get this done. BURST LINK!"

 **[BGM- The Hot Wind Blows- Metal Gear Rising Revengeance Vocal Collection]**

All of a sudden, the world turned blue again. Hiram went into his matchings list and selected 'Ash Roller' from the player list and pressed a button hanging from chains labeled 'DUEL'. All of a sudden, the area changed to the 'World's End' Stage. His avatar changed as well to his Red Kabuto form. "Let's do this, Ash Roller," he then called out, as if he was yelling.

Ash Roller was not there immediately, but Hiram was able to track him from the locator compass on his HUD. He then set up on the road itself, and aimed his gun in that direction. He then remembered what Senpai told him. "Senpai told me that this guy has two weaknesses," he told himself, "The first is definitely gonna be the amount of noise he creates with that machine. The second is that he is not able to climb up walls. Not being afraid is the answer to his first weakness. However, if this is like an RPG, then he must have gained a level while I was gone. May have gained a special ability. However, there was one weakness Senpai failed to figure out. Motorcycles from the 21st were still using rear wheel drive, and therefore…" As he said this, he saw Ash Roller heading his way. He was moving fast, but Hiram was able to time his next move. He fired as he dodged, and said, "Taking out the chain itself, will stop it being able to go any further." He then shot a single bullet from the Kunai Gun. This bullet hit the chain, but failed to destroy it. "Damn, it's got a good defense," said Hiram, "Looks like it's the good old-fashioned blunt-force attack for this guy."

"How lucky for me," said Ash Roller, looking at his opponent. Thanks to the beating I gave you this morning, I am now level 2. I put all my extra bonus points into a special ability. However, I can't show it off while we are here on the street."

"Not my problem," said Hiram, the horn on the Kabuto Zector till it moved about an inch. All of a sudden, the armor parts of the Masked Form seemed to pop out a bit and discharge a sound, as if saying 'ready to fire at your command.' However, it didn't discharge like with the others. Hiram sighed, and then said, "Cast Off!" He then pulled the horn all the way to the right.

" **Cast Off,** " said the Kabuto Zector. All of a sudden, the armor bits flew like they were shot by cannons. The armor being 'Cast off' revealed a new form. This one looked like a red beetle. Then, a piece that was placed at the neck in Masked Form moved to the top of the head, completing the horn. The Zector then called out, " **Change Beetle!** "

"WHA…..," said Ash Roller, doing a double take, just before a barrage of armor bits flew at him, dinging up his bike. "Watch it, pal," he then said, flipping the bird at Hiram. "For that, I'll kill you."

"Nope," said Hiram, "Can't yet wait to show off myself, so how about we take this up a notch. He then said, "Clock Up." He then slapped the left side button on his belt with his left hand.

" **Clock Up!** "

He then started to run off. The spectators watched and saw Hiram pulling this off, only to see him disappear and reappear on the roof of a nearby building. "Wow," said one of the spectators, "He's fast."

"Actually," said a silver robotic figure, also a spectator, "All he did was slow down time and speed himself up by doing so. He then ran all the way to the top and returned to normal time."

"Wait," said another spectator, "He can do that?"

"One can only guess how he does it," said the robot, shifting its glasses.

"Impressive," said Ash Roller, "It seems I underestimated you, Red Bug. Thanks for allowing me to show off for people here." With that, he spun the bike around, creating a black streak on the ground and revved his engine.

Hiram decided to work on his gauge for a bit, said, "Clock Up." He then slapped the left side button on his belt with his left hand.

" **Clock Up!** "

Hiram then struck a few things on the stage, destroying them at high speed. This filled his Skill Gauge to its maximum.

When he was at full, he disengaged Clock Up, and went over to the wall…

…Only to see Ash Roller, climbing it. "Impressive, isn't it," Ash Roller said, "This is the special bonus I got with my level-up. Now, feel the power of my bike." The Biker then reached the roof and landed on the roof with a loud noise. "You ready to fall yet?"

"Hell, no," said Hiram, "I've only just started. CLOCK UP!"

" **Clock Up!** "

Hiram Ran over to the bike and punched Ash Roller once. 1/5 of his HP gauge went down and Hiram then pressed a button on the legs of the Zector. It responded by saying, " **1** ". He then punched him a second time, knocking him off his bike and dealing another 1/5 of his power gauge, and pressing a second button, resulting in the Zector saying, " **2** ". He then followed it up with a third punch that knocked Ash Roller away from his bike and pressed the third and final button as he turned away from Roller, " **3** ". Hiram then swung the Zector's horn to the left and said, "Rider Kick, before swinging the horn back to the right."

" **Rider Kick!** "

As he did this, Ash Roller tried to rush him…

…Only to get hit with a devastating roundhouse kick that finished off his HP gauge, ending the game.

"That was a counterattack," said one of the spectators, cheering. "That is very rare indeed. And plus, he took down Ash Roller. I should put him on my watch list." With that, she looked his name up on the Matchings list. "Red Kabuto," she said, "Fascinating name."

Hiram, then walked over to Ash Roller and said, "Nice game. You were an interesting opponent, to say the least."

"You're not half bad, kid," said Ash Roller , getting a hand up.

"Good work, Hiram," said Kuroyukihime, approaching him. "It would seem you learned how to fight rather quickly." She then extended her hand to Hiram.

Hiram looked at his, and then said, "Thank you, Senpai." He then placed his hand in hers, saying, "But, this is only the beginning. I need to get stronger to help you in what you seek."

-1 minute later-

Acceleration cancelled out, and Hiram, having successfully beat Ash Roller, returned to normal. "You did it, Red Kabuto," said Kuroyukihime, patting him on the back. "I was surprised. I thought you were not gonna beat him."

"Tell me about it, Senpai," said Hiram, "I just got lucky I was able to get him off that bike, is all."

"Don't be so modest," Kuroyukihime said, smiling, "You earned that victory."

"Thanks to you teaching me how to respond to him," commented Hiram.

"So," she then asked, "Were you able to get your points back?"

"Yeah, and then some," he told her. "I got 20 points, seeing as he was Level 2." This surprised Kuroyukihime, who then giggled.

"That does explain why he was able to climb up walls," she replied, smacking him on the back again.

"When I saw that," said Hiram, "I almost wanted to yell, 'OI! STOP THAT! YOU ARE NOT SPIDERMAN!' However, I couldn't, because I was saving my strength for the attack."

Kuroyukihime smiled and said, "It was a great win, Hiram. Well done. Why don't we celebrate? Where would you like…" However, before she could finish asking, she felt an ominous presence and looked up and towards the school gate. Hiram also looked…

…Only to see Chiyuri, his friend, looking rather cross at Kuroyukihime. "Just what do you want with Hiram," she asked, angered. "Because of you egging someone on yesterday, Hiram got beaten up. Now you're still doing it, making a spectacle of him in front of everyone. WHAT SORT OF PLAN ARE YOU HATCHING?"

"Chiyu," said Hiram, "She was just asking me out to eat. That's all."

"So, there is nothing to worry about," asked Chiyu, "After you opened up to us, you are finally going forward with some things. Looks like you are growing up, Hiram." She smiled and walked away. However, as Hiram was finally getting ready to calm down, she heel-turned and said, "If you hurt Hiram again, I will not forgive you." With that, she walked off, leaving Hiram flabbergasted, yet again.

Next Time:

Hiram is asked for help by Kuroyukihime in finding a Burst Linker named 'Yellow Wasp'. However, with only a single lead, Hiram must do the unthinkable- Direct Wire link with his friend Chiyu. However, what he finds may lead to a new problem. Can Hiram solve the mystery of the Secret attacker? It all starts in the next episode of _Kamen Rider Kabuto Accelerated World_ :

Investigation

Unlock the secrets of your Accelerated World!

Chapter 2 COMPLETE! Time elapse between completion of chapter 1 and chapter 2- 48 hours. Not bad really. However, it's all uphill from here, as Hiram now has to become even stronger to get to the next level. Also, there is a reason for his uphill climb, which will be explained in the halfway mark, seeing as at that time, Hiram faces the man who steals his strength, and has to get it back by becoming so powerful, he can surpass him in a single battle. Those of you who have watched the series, you know who I'm talking about. He is the most hated character in the series, notorious for being the only character in _Accel World_ , for stealing Haruyuki's wings, as well as being the most arrogant bully in the series. If Etherias were in this series, after this guy showed up, he would be on his soap box, rebuking him and calling him a hypocrite for his actions and behaviors. You all know him as…JOHN CENA!

Kidding. Just following the running gag in recent days. Although, it is actually Seiji Nomi whom will become the Golden Caucasus. Anyone up for a little chess with him when he comes out. If so, bring your net launcher (Thanks Linkara for that gag), you will need it.

Setting aside the rant on Nomi for a few days, You might have noticed that I am still adding Background themes for the battles. Actually, those themes are not for the battles, but for certain OC's. "The Hot Wind Blows" is Hiram's theme. Hiro's theme is 'I'm My Own Master Now', from the same game. Good songs, even if people still hate on Raiden. However, next episode is the beginning of the 3 parter 'Yellow Wasp Hunt'. This takes the 'Cyan Pile' story and twists it enough that it still fits.

And I am sure you all have complaints that I made Hiram a little manlier than Haru, but there is a reason for that. Hiram is more of a kind and gentle soul forced to survive in a dog-eat-dog world, seeking to become stronger and faster to prove he is able to survive in the world. However, after Kuroyukihime gets hurt, Hiram reveals his kind side, by –SPOILERS!-

That's right, folks, we are leaving you in suspense for the next few chapters. However, enjoy the story so far, and review, comment, and suggest we could do better.


	3. Investigation

Exiakaiser: Welcome back. In this chapter, Hiram begins a 3 episode investigation into the identity of one of the other Rider-Class Avatars. Will get into that in a bit. However, there is a reason I took so long to get this chapter up and running.

First off, I was in the middle of getting this chapter done when I accidentally erased the original file and had to start over. Second, I have been uber-busy getting other series up to date, and I needed get a break so that I could keep working. At the same time, I needed some new ideas as to how this particular chapter would go down. We are placing a lot of time and focus on Hiram, I know. But there is a reason for that- He is the new main character in this world. Sure Silver Crow will show up from time to time, but he is more the ally-in-the-shadows. Particularly after Nomi makes his debut, he starts showing up more often and even allies himself with the group.

Also, as you probably read, this chapter, as well as the next couple of chapters are also called 'Yellow Wasp Hunt'. Try to guess the Rider Avatar's user. Hint: It follows the same path as the anime.

Also, this chapter is late because I had a slight hiccup I caused. A few weeks back, I suffered a virus attack that corrupted one of the thumb drives I used, so I might have accidentally deleted the original file in the process. However, the chapter basis was all not even the first draft, so I was alright scrapping it.

At the same time, I decided to, should someone want to, I can add other OC designs, seeing as I actually decided to do a little addition to the series, especially since Hiram will not really be the main focus in the Movie story- RESET, which will focus mostly on Kuroyukihime. However, I will explain the rest in detail when it comes down to it.

So, without further ado, let's get this story rolling.

DISCLAIMER: Same as before.

Acceleration cancelled out, and Hiram, having successfully beat Ash Roller, returned to normal. "You did it, Red Kabuto," said Kuroyukihime, patting him on the back. "I was surprised. I thought you were not gonna beat him."

"Tell me about it, Senpai," said Hiram, "I just got lucky I was able to get him off that bike, is all."

"Don't be so modest," Kuroyukihime said, smiling, "You earned that victory."

"Thanks to you teaching me how to respond to him," commented Hiram.

"So," she then asked, "Were you able to get your points back?"

"Yeah, and then some," he told her. "I got 20 points, seeing as he was Level 2." This surprised Kuroyukihime, who then giggled.

"That does explain why he was able to climb up walls," she replied, smacking him on the back again.

"When I saw that," said Hiram, "I almost wanted to yell, 'OI! STOP THAT! YOU ARE NOT SPIDERMAN!' However, I couldn't, because I was saving my strength for the attack."

Kuroyukihime smiled and said, "It was a great win, Hiram. Well done. Why don't we celebrate? Where would you like…" However, before she could finish asking, she felt an ominous presence and looked up and towards the school gate. Hiram also looked…

…Only to see Chiyuri, his friend, looking rather cross at Kuroyukihime. "Just what do you want with Hiram," she asked, angered. "Because of you egging someone on yesterday, Hiram got beaten up. Now you're still doing it, making a spectacle of him in front of everyone. WHAT SORT OF PLAN ARE YOU HATCHING?"

"Chiyu," said Hiram, "She was just asking me out to eat. That's all."

"So, there is nothing to worry about," asked Chiyu, "After you opened up to us, you are finally going forward with some things. Looks like you are growing up, Hiram." She smiled and walked away. However, as Hiram was finally getting ready to calm down, she heel-turned and said, "If you hurt Hiram again, I will not forgive you." With that, she walked off, leaving Hiram flabbergasted, yet again.

The Year is 2147 AD. Mankind has developed new technologies that allow humanity to access the internet at will. The device called the Neural Link allows people to access the Global Net using nearby servers to socialize with people in a new, more personal way. This is called 'Synchronizing', and has been the rage for decades.

However, rumours exist of a shadow app, or application, that allows a person to slow time around them using security cameras. In this app, opponents fight it out for their Burst points, the cost of this power. If a person loses all their points, the app automatically uninstalls itself, and that person cannot reinstall it at all, or even remembers being a participant. In addition, you can only get it by getting it from another player. It's this system that has made the game a well-kept secret with 'Burst Linkers', people who play the game.

But now, a new group of Burst Linkers have suddenly appeared. The Linkers have Burst Avatars that can accelerate in the game, as well as killer special attacks. These warriors, who have the capacity to 'Cast off' their shells in the game, will forever be known by the nickname they were given in the game. This nickname was decided because they reminded a Burst Linker of a group of heroes his grandfather talked of a lot.

The Alias for these warriors was…Kamen Rider.

 **(Cue In [Raise your Flag] by MAN WITH A MISSION- Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans op 1)**

 **(Instrumental)** Hiram stares into the wasteland arena of Brain Burst, and a stream of blood seems to come from one of his hands.

 **[Raise your flag]** However, a red boot steps in the pool of blood as Hiram's body disappears.

 **[Goe no kagiri]** Red Kabuto appears and stands there, looking at the same landscape.

 **[goe no kagiri]** He then jumps down into the fray of a battle.

 **[goe no kagiri sakende]** His landing creates a crater, taking out several opponent's simultaneously.

 **[kitto itsuka]** He takes out two more with a single roundhouse kick.

 **[itsuka dokoka]** However, another gets him with a punch.

 **[yume wo mi tsudzuke samayou]** However, he manages to come out on top.

 **[Under pressure you are waiting for direction]** Hiram is at school, looking out the window. He is smiling as he sees a red Kabuto fly past. He changes to his Rider Avatar, Red Kabuto.

 **[Going on the road without your mind]** Kuroyukihime stands on the roof as she sees the red Kabuto fly past and smiles as well. Her avatar, Black Lotus appears behind her.

 **[All misleads they give ignoring our decisions]** Takumu and Hiro practice swordplay, and the two's avatars, Yellow Wasp and Violet Scorpion show up.

 **[Killing yourself your soul we have inside]** John Colton is shooting paper targets with his revolver. His avatar, Silver Dragonfly appears behind him.

 **[Agaki tsudzuke taore kujike hai agatte hashiri tsudzukete]** Hiram and Kuroyukihime stand in front of each other, hand in hand. However, a dark shadow appears over them.

 **[Owari naki yume no ma to ma]** Seiji Nomi, aka Golden Caucasus appears and challenges Hiram to a fight.

 **[We can struggle and muzzle the world Before it fades away]** Hiram looks at him and says, taking his standard pose [ **Henshin** ]

 **[Raise your flag goe no kagiri goe no kagiri goe no kagiri sakende]** Red Kabuto's Masked form appears, and Hiram starts fighting him. Then he activates Cast off, taking a shot at Nomi with his Rider Kick.

 **[Kitto itsuka itsuka doko ka tadori tsuku to shinjite]** Hiro and Takumu appear beside him, in their Rider Avatars, and start attacking some enemies of their own.

 **[Come on and raise your flag so just raise your flag nando kujike mayoedo]** Hiram then goes Hyper Mode, as does Nomi, leading to the two flying into the air, battling it out in a midair dogfight.

 **[Iki no kagiri tsudzuku kagiri yume wo mi tsudzuke samayou]** Nomi is hit back and Hiram does a midair dive kick, knocking him into the ground, as the title appears in front of everyone.

Episode 3:

Investigation!

Bistro la Salle is a popular restaurant among the young kids of Tokyo. Not only is their food tailored to be trendy, but the Miso Mackerel is a must for patrons. However, the cook, and proprietor of the store, Hiyori was always in need of additional assistance. She met Hiram not long after he first moved to the city, and he agreed to help, provided he can eat there for half-price. Why Hiram never asked for free food is a question she always asked herself.

"This is amazing," said Kuroyukihime, taking a bite out of the mackerel.

"It's the place's best meal," said Hiram, smiling proudly. He himself helped from time to time in preparation of meals, but today he was only here to celebrate the win. "The place is notorious for its food stuffs. I sometimes help out in order to learn how to cook better myself."

"If you want to get paid, like normal people," said Hiyori, annoyed he had to bring it up, "Then apply like a normal person, baka."

Hiram sighed. "What can I do about that at my age, Hiyori-san? I am still in bloody Junior High for crying out loud."

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Hiram then asked, "Well, what is the problem you have that requires my help?"

"Right to the point," said Kuroyukihime, "Exactly why I like you. You know about how I said I had to seal my form away?" Shen then pulled out a direct link cable, and handed one end to Hiram.

"Yeah," said Hiram plugging it into his neural linker, " _You said it wasn't pretty. I have to say, though, that is an objective view that depends on the beholder_."

" _Befo_ r _e I tell you_ ," said Kuroyukihime, " _Congratulations on your victory_."

" _Thank you_ ," said Hiram, "But _I can't take all the credit. It's because of your guidance and advice…_ "

" _No_ ," said Kuroyukihime, smiling at him, " _It was because of your quick thinking and agility. Keep it up and you'll reach level 2 in no time at all._ "

" _Oi, vey,_ " said Hiram, " _To think I would have to fight a dozen battles just like that. It's a lot of work._ "

" _Indeed,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _The road ahead is a harsh one indeed. Level 4 is the first cap. Then, after you reach level 5, you can't just level up simply by winning fights. After level 7 and level 8, everyone is commander of a large legion._ "

" _Legion,_ " asked Hiram, confused.

" _They are similar to guilds or clans in other games,_ " explained Kuroyukihime, " _In 'Brain Burst', we call them 'Legions'. The 'Accelerated World', right now, is made up of 6 large legions, each governing their own territory. The 6 leading members of these legions are all level 9 Burst Linkers. They represent the colors or red, blue, yellow, green, violet, and white…And are called the '6 kings of pure color'!_ "

Hiram was wide-awake by this time. His eyes were wide open n surprise, not at the power ranking, but at the intensity of Kuroyukihime's voice at the mention of these guys. Kuroyukihime straightened herself and said, " _Sorry. I was a bit loud._ "

" _Its fine,_ " said Hiram, " _But to think there are only 6 level 9 Linkers. I can't tell whether to be amazed or frightened. I have played a lot of online games, but I have never heard of one with so few players reaching the level cap._ "

" _I never said level 9 was the level cap,_ " corrected Kuroyukihime, wiping her mouth with a napkin. She was right, of course, she had never said that level 9 was the final level cap.

This caused Hiram to stutter for the 8th time in recent days. " _Wha-Wha-What?! There is another level higher? How many players?_ "

" _Zero,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _So far, there hasn't been any player who has reached level 10. Ever since the game's creation, no player has yet to reach level 10._ "

" _Is it because of the difficulty_ ," asked Hiram, wanting to know more, " _How many battles do you have to fight? A million?_ "

" _Actually,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _You only need to fight 6. But they all have to be level 9. And you put all your acquired points on the line to do so. You lose, you lose everything._ "

Hiram was now afraid, but only because he finally had the power to become better than he was. To lose that, to lose everything that made him stronger, was unacceptable.

" _Hiram-kun,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _'Brain Burst' has allowed for 'Accelerated Thinking'. But, why did the creators use it for a child's fighting game?_ _The reason he program was concealed for so long, was because of 'Brain Burst's' strict requirements._ "

" _Is the requirement something contrived like having to have a neuro linker since birth or something,_ " asked Hiram, not knowing he had hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

" _How did you know that,_ " asked Kuroyukihime, amazed at his guess. This caused Hiram to have a look of annoyance on his face, to which Kuroyukihime giggled. " _But you are correct,_ " she then said, " _The first generation neuro-link was implemented 15 years ago. This would mean that the oldest living Burst Linker would be 15 years old. In the 'Accelerated World', there isn't a single adult. Because they're children, they will try to retain this privilege to themselves at all costs. At the same time, they possess a trait unique only to children- Naivety._ "

" _Interesting,_ " commented Hiram, placing his right hand on his chin. He would do this when he is pondering something told to him.

" _Then,_ " continued Kuroyukihime, " _About 2 years ago, during summer, a group of kings reached level 9 at exactly the same time. Then they were alerted to the cruel conditions required to reach level 10. Did this lead them to battle each other? No-The Kings chose a painfully long and horrid stagnation. Rather than reaching level 10, they instead chose to focus on heir own little worlds, and expanded their territories. Then they all signed a peace treaty. What a tasteless joke. To reach level 9, they had already ruthlessly defeated several players._ "

" _So you intend to challenge them and reach level 10,_ " asked Hiram, sipping on his drink, " _By challenging the 6 Kings yourself?_ "

" _I have already done that,_ " said Kuroyukihime. This caused Hiram to spit out his drink into empty space. " _The 6 Kings were originally called the 7 Kings of Pure Color. Though they competed against each other, they were all close friends. Till one day, when the Black King betrayed them._ "

" _And that was you,_ " said Hiram, once again hitting his mark unknowingly, " _The Black King was you? Guessing you didn't like the idea of a treaty._ "

" _That's two today, Hiram,_ " said Kuroyukihime, surprised, " _How are you doing that?_ "

" _I don't know, really,_ " said Hiram, just as surprised as her, _"But I am still listening._ "

" _Only the Black King, named Black Lotus, opposed the treaty. I had proposed to ditch the friendship and respect and finish this now in one final battle royal. However, that idea was shot down, and the conference table suddenly turned red with blood. On the night of the final meeting…we met in the 'Accelerated World'…we have to conceal our real identities as Burst Linkers at all costs. The conference took place in a special arena where all seven kings called 'Battle Royal Mode'. It's a special stage I will explain to you later. At that time, I was focused on the Red King, who was promoting the peace treaty. I caught him completely unaware and helpless, and took his head._ "

" _Guessing he lost all points in the process,_ " said Hiram. To him, peace is only possible when people finally realize their differences and strive to work together in spite of them. " _Wonder how it ended._ "

" _It was a living nightmare,_ " said Kuroyukihime, looking somber all of a sudden, " _The Purple King wailed in despair on losing her lover, and the Blue King went into a furious rage, while I was lost in a killing frenzy. I knew it was my only chance to kill yet another. But, in the end it was too much to ask for. I failed to behead another, and the time limited was reached and we were transported offline._ "

" _Holy Star Wars,_ " said Hiram, remembering having watched Episode VII a year or two ago on digital download, " _That means you are a traitor to them. This explains why you are in hiding, and as to why you sealed your Burst Avatar away. Guessing you wanted only to each level 10._ "

" _Exactly,_ " said Kuroyukihime, smiling at Hiram, not only for the bad joke, but he wa able to figure out the majority of what she was trying to tell him. However, she then felt upset at that as well, " _The system message was something along the lines of, 'a player who reaches level 10 would be able to meet the creator'. I wanted to know, no matter what it cost. Through 'Accelerating thought' in order to get better grade, more money, or be better at games…are these really our purpose for fighting, only to gain such punitive rewards? Is there no further-reaching purpose?_ " Shen then seemed upset.

Hiram thought to himself, " _I can understand that feeling. It's almost the same situation as I am. Reaching towards the sky, but being firmly stuck to the ground. It's just stifling._ "

" _What is it,_ " asked Kuroyukihime, looking at Hiram, " _Can't bear to listen any longer? Or do you despise me now, Hayabusa-kun? If it's to accomplish my goal, I might even sacrifice you one day. If you feel like you can't help me anymore, that's fine as well._ "

" _That just annoys me,_ " said Hiram, " _Not being willing to move forward to level 10. A person, whether in game or reality, must strive to better oneself. This includes, but is not excluded to heading to the next level. 'It's the purpose of a goal to be reached', as my dad would say. That's the same in 'Brain Burst', correct?_ "

This level of honesty, coming from Hiram, surprised Kuroyukihime. She then laughed, impressed at Hiram's resolve and understanding. " _This is unbelievable. It seems you know more about 'Burst Linkers' than I do. That is right on the money. It's a worthy goal to be pursued._ "

" _I will support you in your goal, Senpai,_ " said Hiram, placing his right hand, balled up into a fist, over his heart, " _And one day, I would like to join you there, at Level 10._ "

" _Thank you, Hiram,_ " said Kuroyukihime, smiling.

" _I'm also guessing here,_ " said Hiram, " _But, because of your 'wanted' status, you haven't logged into the net, unless its at the private server at school?_ "

" _How did you know,_ " asked Kuroyukihime, impressed yet again.

" _It's what I would do, until the heat had dissipated at least,_ " said Hiram, " _It will, eventually. But, I'm guessing that is the reason you gave me this program in the first place._ "

" _Then allow me to explain the situation,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _About 2 months ago, on the first day after summer break, someone in the school challenged me._ "

" _That's not possible,_ " said Hiram, " _The only ones we know about, are myself, Violet Scorpion, aka Hiro, and you. What name did they go by?_ "

" _Let me finish,_ " said Kuroyukihime, gently, " _Back then, I had changed my avatar to one I usually use as a spectator. Why I chose it from the same one as my school avatar was a rookie mistake._ "

" _The Black Swallowtail Butterfly,_ " said Hiram, putting the pieces together, " _Then that would mean that there is an additional Burst Linker at the school, and they are not friendly._ "

" _I had broken the biggest taboo of Burst Linkers,_ " continued Kuroyukihime, " _And revealed my true identity. I expected and feared assassins would be sent by the 6 kings, to attack me in the real world. However, nothing happened. There were no attacks or even encounters. With that, I was able to surmise what the attacker wanted- to defeat me and grab all my burst points in one go. They were fortunate enough to discover my identity, but they didn't go and inform the Legions. This was one person, acting alone, wanting to snatch all my burst points._ _Pressured like that… Going to the restroom, or even taking a shower, there are plenty of times when I am left vulnerable. If someone were to attack me at those times, there is no foolproof means to defend._ "

" _What a jerk,_ " said Hiram, " _They should be ashamed, ambushing someone like that._ _I am guessing this means you need to investigate this incident?_ "

" _Exactly,_ " said Kuroyukihime, with a serious look on her face. " _I wasn't attacked in the real world, fortunately. So, the only real solution is finding the real world identity of my attacker._ "

" _Well,_ " said Hiram, sitting back, " _First, we need intel. Did you try checking he next day, at school assembly?_ "

" _Yes,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _But the registry came up empty, aside from Violet Scorpion._ "

-Elsewhere-

Hiro Sneezed. " _Someone's talking about me,_ " he thought to himself, before going back to his roses.

-Back at the Bistro-

" _Then, what you need me to do,_ " said Hiram, surmising the next step, " _Is to help by finding out as much as possible. What was the name of your attacker?_ "

" _Yellow Wasp_ ," replied Kuroyukihime, " _However, I was only attacked by a strange insect-like machine._ "

" _Damn,_ " said Hiram, " _Looks like we got another Rider Avatar out there. Will have to investigate it ASAP. Any additional intel I could use?_ "

Kuroyukihime said nothing more, having already explained how colors work in the game to Hiram before his fight with Ash Roader. Instead, she sent him a picture file. Hiram opened it and said, " _This can't be right. I know this girl, and she is no Burst Linker._ "

" _Be that as it may,_ " said Kuroyukihime, " _She may have ties to the actual player, and no know she is being used by them to attack me. Please look into it further._ "

" _Leave it to me,_ " said Hiram, saluting, and removing his end of the cable. He then left some cash on he table, and said, "Hiyori, payment for the food is on the table. Keep the change."

-Approximately 30 minutes later-

-Hiram's apartment building-

" _Ah, Hiram,_ " said Chiyuri's voice, from her personal intercom. " _Come in. It's open._ "

Hiram entered. He then met Chiyu's mom, something that brought back memories of days past. However, Chiyu then invited Hiram to her room. " _This brings back memories,_ " thought Hiram to himself, " _Memories of the four of us having one last day. First meetings to Haru leaving, this was the place we would all hang out. How painfully annoying it must have been for Chiyu._ "

"Yesterday," said Chiyu, holding her favorite stuffed animal, "I called you so many times. Why didn't you answer?"

"Was disconnected from the Net for maintenance purposes," said Hiram, a reason he would always give, and it wasn't far from the truth. Sometimes, he would be disconnected for several days, all because he needed to make sure the thing was not broken, al because of him tinkering with it.

"Still," said Chiyu, upset, "It wouldn't hurt to receive a message from me. Because of you, I didn't get an sleep last night."

"Sorry," said Hiram. He was being honest about that too. "Also, I know how this must sound, and I know this might come as a bit sudden. Please don't take this the wrong way, but let me direct connect with you, please!"

Chiyu sat there, looking at Hiram, not knowing what to think of his request. Then she said, "Did you bring a wire?"

Hiram pulled a short one out of his pocket. "This is the only one I had."

"Then it will have to do," said Chiyu, as she laid on the bed.

Hiram sighed, connected the cable, and laid next to her in such a way that they were close enough to direct link. " _I feel like I should apologize,_ " said Hiram, " _I mean, I know you put all that work into the lunch you made me yesterday, and I have not been the most open friend you have had, so it's only right I do something nice for you or at least apologize for my actions._ "

" _You dummy,_ " Chiyu, raising up and moving to Hiram, so that she was on top of him. " _You need to be more honest about your pain. You worry so much about how we would get hurt, that you closed yourself to us for some time. Why did you finally open up to us yesterday?_ "

" _I was scared,_ " said Hiram, " _Scared that you would react in fear and repulsion if I told you what had happened. However, it was Kuroyukihime-Senpai who finally helped me to open up and explain things to you and Taku. However, if she hadn't helped me get past Araya, I probably would have been killed, or worse._ "

Chiyu looked at Hiram and teared up. She finally understood what Hiram was going through. He waned to thank Kuroyukihime for helping him finally gain the courage to explain why he was so cold and callous to his friends. Chiyu then hugged Hiram…

Which gave Hiram an opening, as Chiyu hugged him and didn't let go for several minutes. Hiram then accessed his Neuro-Link's Console and accessed Chiyu's Neuro-link's data stream. However, for some reason, it was slower than his, and suffered a noticeable time lag. " _Wait,_ " thought Hiram, " _A Time lag. That would mean…Chiyu's being hacked._ "

-To be Continued-

Next Time-

With the information that he culprit called 'Yellow Wasp' was hacking Chiyu's Neuro-Linker, Hiram relays this information to Kuroyukihime. However, he finally learns the truth about her feelings towards him. However, it comes at a terrible price, as one of Hiram's enemies comes back to get his revenge. Next Time:

Declaration

Unlock the secrets of your Accelerated World!

Exiakaiser: Sorry for the wait. The cold days are here again- this is becoming a pain- and I haven't been able to focus long enough to get this chapter completed without sacrificing time on other stories.

Also, if you still want to create an OC, you will get to do so. However, the Rider Avatars are already taken, with the Golden Caucasus going to Noumi, and the other two from the movie going to Black Vise, and the guy who appeared during the Okinawa bit.

So, yeah, comment, review, etc.


End file.
